"Life's all my own, to live my own way" sings Hetfield. I dare say that he has lived it on his own terms. I'd think I'd give my left arm (not my right though) to be where he is now in his 50s. But I think that our best work often comes when youth is still a clear reminder of our sense of purpose and age has mellowed us enough to reflect upon life. So it is with Metallica. I think their best albums have been "Master of Puppets" and "And Justice For All". Prior to that they were too raw and full of frenetic energy. After these albums there was a relentless pressure to make sure that everyone was made happy - like how a large corporation might operate. The end results have always been just what you might expect - a compromise that bears a faint promise of what might have been.
Btw, watched "Johnny got his gun" by Dalton Trumbo earlier this week without knowing that its scenes had been used by Metallica for the music video "One" which I'd always liked. Also saw "Elephant". It was then that it struck me what I loved about good cinema (in my judgment) and what I hate about most commercially successful films. Films that I've loved have a subtlety about them. An appreciation for life where a lot of important things remain unsaid but understood. You can't say these thoughts without overshadowing in those moments all the other emotions and background. This is why most commercial films lack depth and can rarely be viewed a second time without wincing!
Coming back to where expectations force an artist to compromise, look at Coppola. I'd say that "Apocalypse Now" was his finest film. Look at what came afterwards. There was nothing that came close. Inspiration comes but seldom. And usually it comes when your youth and experience are at a sweet spot that balances the two.
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